galley

American  

[gal-ee] / ˈgæl i /

noun

plural

galleys

1. a kitchen or an area with kitchen facilities in a ship, plane, or camper.

2. Nautical.

   1. a seagoing vessel propelled mainly by oars, used in ancient and medieval times, sometimes with the aid of sails.

   2. a long rowboat, as one used as a ship's boat by a warship or one used for dragging a seine.

   3. (formerly, in the U.S. Navy) a shoal-draft vessel, variously rigged, relying mainly on its sails but able to be rowed by sweeps.

3. Printing.

   1. a long, narrow tray, usually of metal, for holding type that has been set.

   2. galley proof.

   3. a rough unit of measurement, about 22 inches (56 centimeters), for type composition.

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galley British  

/ ˈɡælɪ /

noun

1. any of various kinds of ship propelled by oars or sails used in ancient or medieval times as a warship or as a trader

2. the kitchen of a ship, boat, or aircraft

3. any of various long rowing boats

4. printing

   1. (in hot-metal composition) a tray open at one end for holding composed type

   2. short for galley proof

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Other Word Forms

• galleylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of galley

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English galei(e), from Old French galee, galie, perhaps from Old Provençal galea, from Late Greek galéa, galaía

Example Sentences

As he watched his galley "Skyldulid" slowly turn to ashes, Guizer Jarl Lynden couldn't contain his excitement.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026

The galley kitchen has a countertop with seats, stainless appliances, and a glossy marble floor.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 21, 2025

He urges athletes to choose window seats in the middle of the aircraft, away from the most-trafficked areas—the front, where everyone enters, and the rear, near the galley and the lavatories.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025

I found myself reaching for books like Priya Parker’s “The Art of Gathering,” “Family Meal” by Ferran Adrià, and the galley for Hetty Lui McKinnon’s upcoming “Linger.”

From Salon • Oct. 14, 2025

The women washed the sheets in the galley and wrung them out, and we hung them to dry upon the rails, so our ship flapped gray in the winter breeze.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson